Pharmacists to join swine flu fight

From CBC News:
The New Brunswick Pharmaceutical Society says it will soon have new rules in place allowing its members to vaccinate people against swine flu despite a series of internal delays.

The provincial government plans to offer the swine flu vaccine to every New Brunswick resident this fall.

Last year, the Liberal government passed a law that gave pharmacists the authority to renew prescriptions and give needles. These steps would open the door for pharmacists to join in public health efforts such as the swine flu vaccination program.

But the pharmaceutical society, the profession's self-regulating body, still hasn't approved its own rules governing how its members will actually meet these requirements. This delay means pharmacists still cannot actually give needles or renews prescriptions.

"Hindsight's a wonderful thing. It should have been in place for last year, I suppose. But we can only do so much with the resources that are available," said Gary Meek, the society's assistant registrar. ...more